Vinnie Jones has revealed that his upbringing near Watford led to a lifelong love for the countryside.
Vinnie, the actor and former footballer, was born in Watford and played for Bedmond FC as a youngster.
He also went to school in Bedmond and in Abbots Langley, a picturesque part of the world that has now inspired him to create a new documentary series, Vinnie Jones In The Country.
In the show, he'll be renovating a 400-year old farmhouse in Sussex and sharing his love for nature.
Appearing on the One Show on Thursday, November 16, Vinnie explained to Alex Jones and Roman Kemp that his passion for the countryside had come from his upbringing.
He said: "We grew up outside Watford, it was fields, trees, canals, fishing from a young age.
"When we were 12, 13, we'd go night fishing down the canal, me and my mates, and walk from Croxley to Watford, and [see the] birds nesting, all through the woods and everything, so it came from there really."
"We've all got some kind of issues."@VinnieJones65 tells us about how he got his love for the country 🚜#TheOneShow 👉 https://t.co/sLAxADGKja pic.twitter.com/zUus4zlsmY
— BBC The One Show (@BBCTheOneShow) November 16, 2023
He shared his enjoyment of "country pursuits", and added: "I learned to fly fish when I was ten years old."
Vinnie is hoping that the new show will lay bare a side of him that has rarely been seen before, and is optimistic that it will be helpful for viewers too.
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In the show, he brings together a "few lads" who have taken on the farm "and steamed into it". He said that they are "some great characters", all of whom have faced challenges in their lives and have found solace in the shared project.
Vinnie himself has spoken of overcoming his alcohol addiction - he has not drunk alcohol for ten years - and his grief after the death of his wife in 2019.
He said that the show is "a little bit like rolling back the years to the Crazy Gang - it was all part-timers and misfits that won the FA Cup against Liverpool, and it's the same with this, with all my mates."
There's even a guest appearance in the documentary from Paul Gascoigne, the England footballing legend, who Vinnie has described as a "spiritual brother".
You can watch Vinnie's full interview on BBC iPlayer. His new documentary will be released on Monday, November 20 on Discovery+.
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